Cadie lay in her bed, weeping. She'd been allowed to see her son, and he hadn't known her. And he'd had no interest whatsoever in changing that situation. So she had merely watched him play, and then returned to her room to rest. She had discovered that Sinister was a much more demanding taskmaster than Logan had ever been. So she needed her strength. But the worst thing had happened here.

(She'd been deep asleep when Scalphunter had come into her room. Only the sound of the lock clicking into place had managed to wake her.

"What y' doin here, homme?" she spat. "An why didn't de lock keep y' out? Dat's what it's for, non?"

"You forget, little girl. I have the keys. And as to why I'm here, I think you're smart enough to figure that out for yourself."

She leaped up and darted past him, fumbling with the lock, only to have it refuse to open. She whirled as she felt him behind her and he laughed, a cruel, mocking sound in the enclosed space. "Might as well give up, girlie," he snickered. "You don't know the override code. You got a choice, shortstuff," he said as he grabbed her arms and brought her close. Her face was only inches from his. "You can give in gracefully and play nice, or I can hurt you bad and still get what I want. Your choice."

She'd chosen to fight, and actually given him a rough time until he managed to bring his knife into play, and it had still taken him stabbing her repeatedly to force her to surrender.)

*Why dis happen now? Cadie happy, first time in her life she really happy, an Sinister come, take dat away.* Her tears continued to fall as she huddled on the bed, curling herself into a fetal position, making herself as small as she was able. *Sinister take ever't'in away, my home, my fam'ly, now my love. Cadie know he never take her back now. Logan never take a woman been wit' someone else, cheated on him. Don' matter it wasn't what Cadie want, it happen, now Cadie got t' pay de price. Ain' got not'in left t' lose, now. Sinister all Cadie got lef' now, 'sides Remy. An sooner o' later, Sinister take him 'way too.*

The door crashed open and Sabretooth stood in the opening. "Time ta go, girlie," he growled. "Boss man wants you. Ya gonna walk, or do I need to carry you?"

She slipped off the bed and crossed the room to stand next to him, feeling dwarfed by his size, looking up at him. "Cadie got time t' change, homme?" she whispered as she dropped her eyes from his stare.

His gaze swept over her and she stiffened. *Merde, not him too. If dere's a God, not him too.*

"Take time," he growled as he turned his back. He'd smelled the blood on her, but wasn't sure of its source until he'd seen the tell-tale slashes in her shirt. She'd been knifed, and it wasn't any work to figure out by who. *I'll tear him apart. She's no challenge, she's too little. Cute though.* He shook his head. *Least the runt's got good taste.*

Scott approached his wife with a cautious smile as she, Bishop, Rogue, Storm, and Cannonball emerged from the Blackbird into the dark Arizona night. Wolverine stayed behind him a few feet, waiting.

Phoenix returned his kiss and then abruptly moved back a pace, and he forced himself not to wince at the anger in her eyes. "From what I was able to pick up when I finally _found_ you," she said tightly, "we don't have much time to plan this."

"It's already planned, people. Listen up." They all gathered around him as he spoke, watching as he outlined a few shapes in the loose dirt at their feet. "We've been watching this place for a couple of days, and they seem to have a pretty set routine, so we should be able to hit them at their weakest."

He continued to outline the plan as the others nodded at each point and instruction.